Official Filings

As part of our mission to make sure that artists' and musicians' voices are not left out of the policy debate, FMC regularly prepares and submits public comments, documents, and testimony to the appropriate rulemaking bodies. In these documents, the FMC strives to inject the debate with information about how policies can affect artists and the public at large.

Musicians and other creators depend on open internet platforms and access to broadband technology

In this proceeding, the FCC is soliciting the perspectives of stakeholders and the public as it considers a “reclassification” of broadband internet service to a different Title of the Telecommunications Act. A new regulatory approach is being evaluated due to a court decision that invalidated the Commission’s previously held legal assumptions regarding its statutory authority over the internet.

Without regulatory clarity, the FCC is unable to prevent discriminatory practices by Internet Service Providers. It also limits the Commission’s ability to implement key provisions in the National Broadband Plan meant would bring affordible, high-speed internet service to underserved American communities.

Our comments demonstrate how musicians — as well as other creators and arts groups — depend on open internet structures to reach potential audiences, grow their businesses and continue enrich our culture. We also cite the availability of broadband service as key to a sustainable 21st century music ecosystem.

For more information on FMC’s perspectives on internet policy, see our Rock the Net campaign.

A look at radio station ownership consolidation in context of the FCC's quadrennial review of media ownership rules

Our remarks focus on the history of consolidation in radio station ownership in the wake of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, and its impact on the FCC’s goals of localism, competition and diversity on the public airwaves. The comments utilize data from a number of FMC studies on the radio industry, all of which can be viewed here. They also make specific recommendations about ways that the FCC could advance its goals while nurturing for a robust commercial radio environment with more opportunity for musicians to be heard.

Future of Music Coalition filed these reply comments with the Copyright Office in their Notice of Public Inquiry on the “termination of transfer” of copyrights.

Under the 35-year reversion terms of the 1976 Copyright Act, copyrights made after Jan. 1, 1978 are eligible to once again become the creator’s property. The comments also address the so called “gap” in the termination clause, in which songs composed under exclusive songwriting aggrements with publishers may fall in between the 56-year termination provisions of the previous 1909 Act and the 35-year terms of its 1976 successor.

In the matter of the Federal effort against intellectual property infringment via the Joint Strategic Plan

Groups underscore the importance of net neutrality to a legitimate and competitive digital marketplace

American Composers Forum; American Music Center; Center for Creative Voices in Media; Film Independent; Fractured Atlas; Future of Music Coalition, International Documentary Association, International Music Manager?s Forum; Just Plain Folks; Meet the Composer; Nacional Records; National Alliance for Media Art and Culture; Writers Guild of America West

On January 14, 2010, a broad array of independent creator organizations, including Future of Music Coalition, filed comments in the FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Preserving an Open Internet. The comments demonstrated the need for enforceable net neutrality rules to ensure that all creators — regardless of size, affiliation or category — can compete in a legitimate digital marketplace.